Newsletter: East Palestine Train Derailment Response, 6-6-2023
Newsletter serving Serving East Palestine, Negley, Darlington, and surrounding communities
- Progress Made
- The Week Ahead
- Community Corner
- Did You Know?
- Site Status Check
- Top 3 Questions of the Week
- Safety Minute
- Upcoming Community Events
Progress Made
Excavation is Underway at North Pleasant Drive
North Pleasant Drive will be closed during the week of June 5 to excavate under the railroad tracks at the road crossing. The road will likely be closed for several days, and traffic will be rerouted to James Street during this closure. During the excavation, EPA will oversee air monitoring and other controls to ensure the safety of all residents. All excavation areas will be secured and covered during the process. Soil will be sampled to ensure contaminated material is removed and cleared areas will be backfilled.
Sheet Piling is Installed Around Areas of the Track
Sheet piling is being driven into the ground along the train tracks so the remaining contaminated soil between the tracks can be excavated safely, without affecting the integrity of the railway. The installation of sheet piling at the site will continue for the next few weeks while work is ongoing.
Vapor Suppressants are Used to Control Odors
When soil waste is loaded or staged there may be increased vapors. Continuous air monitoring is done to ensure the air remains safe. Also, a vapor suppressant foam is used on active piles to reduce odors. Some chemicals of concern, such as butyl acrylate, have a low odor threshold and can be smelled below levels of concern.
The Week Ahead
At the Site
- North Pleasant Drive will be closed Monday through Friday during the week of June 5, to excavate under the railroad tracks at the road crossing.
- Excavation will continue in areas that require additional digging. Areas are backfilled after confirming that contamination has been removed.
- Truck traffic continues near the derailment site. Waste shipments will continue.
- Taggart Street remains closed to the public.
In the Greater Community
- EPA’s Welcome Center at 25 North Market Street in East Palestine remains open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed on Sundays).
- Air monitoring continues at 23 locations around town.
- Cleaning of Sulphur Run will resume the week of June 5. Stream assessments of Sulphur Run and Leslie Run are being evaluated to determine the next steps to remove contamination.
Community Corner
The Threshold Residential Services community sensory garden recently opened on the south side of Taggart Street. This garden is a safe, relaxing, and interactive space open to the whole community. Designed to engage and elevate the senses, this garden enhances the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families. By immersing yourself and your senses in gardening, you will activate different areas of the brain while learning about the environment. This beautiful and interactive garden will continue to grow and eventually bloom, so keep an eye out!
Did You Know?
Site Status Check
as of June 2
-
North Track:
Estimated 90% complete
South Track: Tracks operational -
Leslie Run: Stream assessments are ongoing to determine next steps
Sulphur Run: Cleaning will resume the week of June 5 - 20 million est. gallons of wastewater shipped offsite
-
The hellbender salamander is the largest amphibian in North America and is found in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The hellbender is the state amphibian of Pennsylvania and is an endangered species in Ohio. Like Peter Pan, a hellbender never wants to grow up. While other salamanders’ larvae complete metamorphosis and move onto land, hellbenders go through a partial metamorphosis. At 18 months, they lose their gills but stay in water, breathing through their wrinkly skin. For food, hellbenders eat local crayfish and are always happy to enjoy a snack that travels to them. While much is not known about the hellbender, we do know that they can live for over thirty years.
Top 3 Questions of the Week
Upcoming Community Events
- June 14: EPA will be at the East Palestine Memorial Library for their Meet the Helpers event. This is an opportunity to meet and interact with responders and see their vehicles up close. EPA responders will be at the event with our Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) bus.
- To watch recordings of earlier informational sessions, check out the “Videos and Photos” section.